Clothes-washing machine



May 2, 1950 l.. w. RYDER cLomEs WASHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed nay 1o, 1944 .rl ma f o o//l/l/l/. o o

Maxl, 1950 1 l. w. mme-R f. 2,506,280

cLomEsvwAsHNG ncl-HNE Filed lay 1o, 1944 l I s sheets-sheet 2 l l. l l i l l IN VEN TOR.

May 2, 1950 Y l.. w. RYDER l 2506,280l

, CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed lay 10, 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

APatented May 2, 1950 Claims. (Cl. 6810) Al The present invention relates to domestic and commercial appliances, and more particularly to appliances such as washing machines and centrifugal rinsing and drying machines adapted to be either manually, semi-automatically or automatically controlled. f

Among the objects of the present invention isA to provide a novel washing machine or the like adapted to be operated at low cost and' one which eliminates all'handling .of the clothes through the washing, rinsing and drying operations.

It has been recognized for some time in the' washing machine neld that the agitator type of washer tar surpasses other types of washing machines `from the standpoint of speed, eiliciencyl in operation and the thoroughness with which the clothes can be washed. One of the I east efficient of the various types of washing machines is the cylinder type which attained considerable popularity in prior periods of development of the washing machine art and which type of machine is now being used to a great extent because of the tendency in the eld toward washing machines of the automatic or semi-automatic type. This development in the art requiring the use of such ineiilcient type of washing has been necessitated by virtue of the fact that those in the art have been unable to solve the extremely diilicult problem of thoroughly rinsing clothes in an automatic or semiautomatic type of machine, except by the use of such a cylinder type machine.

The present invention found its inception in the desire to provide a washing machine or the like adapted to be controlled either manually, automatically or semi-automatically and which would incorporate a vertical type agitator for washing the clothes and embodying in its construction novel means for effectively removing the soap, loose dirt and scum in the rinsing process.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel washing machine or the like embodying emcient means for washing clothes and to effectively rinse and condition the clothes after such washing process.

In one of its aspects, the present invention contemplates a washing machine adapted to receive soiled clothes and which can be operated through a washing cycle to wash, rinse and dry the batch of soiled clothes introduced therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel washing machine or the like embodying an agitator adapted to thoroughly 2 and eiilciently wash clothes and to further incorporate in said structure other mechanisms and devices cooperating therewith for eifectively removing soap, loose dirt and'scum which accumulate during the washing process and to then effectively dry such conditioned clothes.

A further object of the present invention is 'to provide a novel washing machinev or the like 'as above described of such a. -constructionl as to adapt itself to various types of installations such, for example, as for use in homes and on farms and for use with various types of power mechanisms for operating the samein accordance with the contemplated cycles of operation.

.Other objects, features, `capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in vertical sec tion of a washing machine made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken in the plane-represented by line 2-2 of Figure l of the drawings,

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken in the plane represented by line 3-3 of Figure 1 of the drawings; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in section of the driving mechanism for the agitator and Washing receptacle.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, an embodiment selected to illustrate the present invention is shown as comprising a washing machine formed with a housing 2 adapted to be supported in any desired manner and enclosing within the confines thereof the mechanism for handling soiled clothes to Wash, rinse and dry the same without handling during such operations. The said mechanism comprises as one of its elements a receptacle 4 disposed substan- Y tially centrally of the housing 2, the said receptacle being substantially cylindrical with the inwardly extending top flange 6 defining the which in turn is mounted upon the base of the housing 2 through a plurality of springs such as I8 to absorb vibrations which may occur during the operation of the device. The rotation of the receptacle 4 is accomplished through the medium of a bevel gear disposed within the housing |4 and mounted upon the drive shaft 2| and which gear meshes with bevel gear 22. The bevel gear 22 is mounted upon the horizontally disposed drive shaft 24 journaled in the housing |4 and has a pulley 26 mounted adjacent its outer'end, the said pulley 26 being driven by means of a motor 26 through a reduction gear mechanism 30 which has pulley 32 mounted on the shaft 34 thereof for driving the belt 36 passing over and engaging the pulley 26.

Mounted for reciprocal movement within the receptacle 4 is an agitator 38 having its hub 39 secured to the spindle shaft 40. The mechanism for driving the agitator includes a motor 42 having a drive shaft 44 upon which is mounted' a pulley 46 adapted to drive a belt 48 passing around a pulley 50 which is mounted upon shaft 52 journaled in the housing I4 and having a worm gear 54 kat its inner end, as more particularly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. This worm meshes with worm gear 56 mounted for rotation as at 58 and which is provided with the pin 60 to which is pivotally connected a link element 62 having its other end pivotally connected as at 64 to the crank arm 66. The crank arm 66 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 68 which is journaled inthe housing as at 10 and passes up through the housing and is connected to the spindle shaft 40 for operating the agitator. Associated with the crank 66 is a clutch element 12 adapted to have clutching arrangement with a clutch element 14 splined to shaft 69 for axial movement with respect thereto'whereby the drive to the agitator 38 may be disengaged. Clutch element 14 is moved axially with respect to shaft 68 by means of the clutch operating element 16 which extends outwardly through the drive shaft 24 and has the operating handle 11 disposed exteriorly of the housing 2.

The housing structure 2 further includes a receptacle 19, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, which surrounds the receptacle 4l and which is disposed in juxtaposition to a plurality of openings 18 formed in the upper region of the receptacle 4 for receiving washing fluid from the receptacle, as will be hereinafter more fully described. Associated with the receptacle 19 is a hydraulic pump 80 having an impeller operated through the pulley 82`and a friction disk 86 which is adapted to engage with the belt 48. The friction disk 86 is pivotally mounted for the purpose of moving the disk into and out of engagement with the belt 48. Pump 80has an intake 88 communicating with the receptacle 19 and a discharge outlet in the form of a pipe 90 extending upwardly with respect to the receptacles 19 and 4 and terminating immediately beyond the margin of the opening 8 whereby washing fluid can be delivered from receptacle 19 to receptacle 4. As clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the intake 88 for the pump 80 is at the low point of the receptacle 19 which is formed with an inclined bottom surface extending from a point opposite the intake 80 kto said intake.

The housing structure 2 further encloses two receptacles 92 and 94 as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings and which are disposed substantially below and on opposite sides of receptacle 4. These receptacles 92 and 94 are adapted to receive receptacle 4 when tilted into either of the two positions represented by dotted lines 96 and 98 to perform certain functions as will later more fully appear. In order to tilt the receptacle 4 the housing I4 has segmental lil gear |06 attached thereto which meshes with the pinion gear |02 mounted on the shaft |04 and which shaft isprovided with the worm gear |06 meshing with the worm |06 associated with and operated by a pulley I l0 through the medium of belt ||2 which passes around the drive pulley H4 of motor IIB.

In operating the mechanism as hereinabove described, clothes may be introduced into receptacle 4 through the openings 8 and I0 and movement of the agitator 38 initiated by operation of motor 42. A washing solution may be introduced into the receptacle 19 and the friction wheel 86 moved into engagement with the belt 48 whereby the washing fluid is delivered to the container 4. The agitator may be operated for a suitable length of time to thoroughly wash the clothes, after which the motor 42 is de-energized and the container 4 rotated through the medium of the motor 28 and the high speed gearing of gear box 30 to expel the washing solution through the openings 18 back into the container 19. It

.should be noted that the container 4 has its wall inclined to facilitate this centrifugal action of throwing the washing solution out of the container.

After the above operation has taken place, the motor 28 is operated through the low speed gearing of gear box 30 to rotate the container 4 at a lower rate of speed, during which time the motor ||6 is operated to tilt the container 4 into the position as shown in dotted lines 96 into the .tank 92 which contains a rinsing fluid. Rotation of container 4 is continued for the desired length of time, during which the clothes are agitated through the medium of a plurality of baffles ||8 extending inwardly from the walls of the container 4 and by the agitator 38 which is freely movable by virtue of the disconnection of the clutch elements 12 and 14. After the clothes have been rinsed in the container 92, the motor ||6, which is of the reversible type, is again energized to rotate the container 4 into the position as shown at 98 within the container 94 which holds a second rinsing fluid. After suitable rinsing of the clothes in this second rinsing fluid, the motor I6 is operated to return the container 4v to its normal vertical position and the excess rinsing fluid is expelled therefrom by rotating the container 4 at a high speed. When the clothes are suitably dried, the same may be removed from the container 4.

If desired, the container 4 may be stopped in its substantially vertical position between these rinsing operations and the same rotated at high speed by motor 28 to expel the excess rinse water from .the first rinse in receptacle 92.

If desired, the washing operation may involve the agitation of the clothes in the receptacle 4 after which the receptacle is tilted into position within tank 92 to discharge the washing fluid after which the receptacle 4 is moved into the tilted position within container 94. In case such procedure is followed, suitable means, such as a pump or the like, is used to return the washing fluid from container 92 to the receptacle or container 4. While the receptacle 4 is disposed within the receptacle 94, the same may be rotated as above described, after which suitable spray rinsing mechanism may be used, if desired, for a second rinse. The rinse water under such conditions' may be discharged from tank 94 through any suitable valve mechanism to give a third rinse, if desired. This rinsing solution may then be retained within the tank 94 and constitutes the 5 nrst rinse for the next batch of clothes being washed. After the rinsing operation in accordance with this procedure, the container 4 is returned to its normal vertical position andl rapidly rotated as hereinbefore described for drying the clothes, after which the same may be removed from the machine. ,y

'I'he above disclosure has been made of a Washing machine embodying mechanical controls ior controlling the washing and rinsing cycle. However, the present device lends itself admirably to automatic or semi-automatic controls which are well known in the art and which when incorporated in a device of the type herein set forth would make it unnecessary for the operator to initiate these various washing and rinsing procedures. In the case of a fully automatic machine,lthe cycle of washing and rinsing operations would be automatically controlled so that the operator would merely have to set the controls in the desired manner for any particular batch of clothes and to merely introduce and remove the clothes as a manua1 operation. Other semiautomatic controls could be used, making manua1 manipulation necessary only as desired.

While I have herein described and upon the drawings shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto Ibut may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

What is claimed is:

1. A Washing machine or the like, comprising a receptacle adapted to receive clothes or the like, an agitator mounted for operation within said receptacle, a receptacle disposed below said first named receptacle, a supporting and power transmitting assembly for said first named receptacle and agitator including means for tilting said first named receptacle into a position within said second named receptacle, mears for rotating said first named receptacle, and means for reciprocating said agitator operable at will irrespective of the position of said first named receptacle.

2. A Washing machine or the like, comprising a receptacle normally disposed in substantially upright position adapted to receive clothes or the like and having a plurality of openings in the upper region of the wall forming the same, an agitator mounted for operation within said receptacle, a receptacle surrounding said first named receptacle for receiving uid from said nrst named receptacle, receptacles disposed on opposite sides of and below said first named receptacle, a supporting and power transmitting assembly for said first named receptacle and agitator including means for tilting said first named receptacle into positions within said second named receptacles, means for rotating said first named receptacle, and means for reciprocating said agitator operable at will irrespective of the position of said first named receptacle.

3. A washing machine or the like, comprising a receptacle normally disposed in substantially upright position adapted to receive clothes or the like and having a plurality of openings in lche upper region of the Wall forming-the same, an agitator mounted for operation within said receptacle, a receptacle surrounding said first named receptacle for receiving fluid from said rst named receptacle, means for delivering fluid.

from said second named receptacle to said first ascenso posite sides of and below said first named receptacle, a supporting and power transmitting assembly for said first named receptacle and agitator including means for tilting said first named receptacle into positions within said last named receptacles, means for rotating said first named receptacle in a plurality of its operating positions, and means for reciprocating said agitator operable at will irrespective of the position of said first named receptacle.

4. A washing machine or the like, comprising a support, a clothes conditioning assembly mounted for pivotal movement on said support, said assembly including a receptacle for said clothes mounted for rotation in said assembly, an agitator mounted for reciprocal movement in said receptacle, and power transmission means for driving said agitator and receptacle.

5. A washing machine or the like comprising a supporting frame, a substantially horizontal housing journaled in said frame and adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis, a clothes receptacle adapted to be rotated about its vertical axis mounted on said housing and normally disposed in a, substantially upright position, a second receptacle disposed below said first named receptacle, an agitator mounted for reciprocal y movement within said clothes receptacle and journaled in said housing, means associated with said housing for operating said agitator, means associated with said housing for rotating said rst named receptacle, and means associated with said housing for rotating said housing about its longitudinal axis so that said housing is tilted.

6. In a washing machine or the like, the combination of a clothes receptacle normally disposed in a substantially upright position adapted to be rotated about its vertical axis, an agitator mounted for reciprocal movement within said receptacle, driven means for operating said agitator, driven means for rotating said receptacle and driven means for moving said combination at will so that said receptacle is tilted.

7. In a Washing machine or the like, the combination of a clothes receptacle normally disposed in a substantially upright position adapted to be rotated about its vertical axis, an agitator mounted for reciprocal movement within said receptacle, driven means for operating said agitator, driven means lfor rotating said receptacle, and a rotatable axis upon which all, of said elements are disposed adapted to be moved at will so that said receptacle is tilted.

8. In a washing machine or the like, the combination of a clothes receptacle normally disposed in a substantially upright position adapted to be rotated about its vertical axis, an agitator mounted for reciprocal movement within said receptacle, driven means for operating said agitator, clutch means for making said last named means operative at will, driven means for rotating said receptacle and driven means for moving said combination at will so that said receptacle is tilted.

9. In a'washing machine or the like, the combination of a substantially horizontal housing mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, a clothes receptacle adapted to be rotated about its vertical axis mounted on said housing andY normally disposed in a substantially upright position, an agitator mounted for reciprocal movement within said receptacle journaled in said housing, driven means in said housing for operating said agitator, driven means in said housnamed receptacle, receptacles disposed on oping for rotating said receptacle and driven means formed integrally with said housing for rotating said housing about its longitudinal axis so that said receptacle is tilted.

10. In a washing machine or the like, the combination of a substantially horizontal housing mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, a clothes receptacle adapted to be rotated about its vertical axis mounted on said housing, an agitator mounted for reciprocal movement within said receptacle journaled in said housing, driven means in said housing for operating said agitator, clutch means Within said housing for making said last named means operative at will, a control member for said clutch means projecting from said housing, driven means in said housing for rotating of said receptacle and driven means formed integrally with said housing for rotating 8 v said housing about its longitudinal axis so that said receptacle is tilted.

LEON W. RYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,678,120 Klutts July 24, 1928 1,709,774 Clarke Apr. 16, 1929 2,168,068 Loweke Aug. 1, 1939 2,258,227 Skinner Oct. 7, 1941 2,270,750 Barilli Jan. 20, 1942 2,279,878 Suits Apr. 14, 1942 2,298,096 Dunham Oct. 6, 1942 2,331,897 Dyer Oct. 19, 1943 

